Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the principle that 'like cures like'. A substance that produces disease-like symptoms in healthy people will in properly diluted form cure a sick person with similar symptoms. For example, onion juice will cause watering, irritated eyes and sneezing; but in a very diluted form (Allium cepa) it is useful in relieving symptoms of eye and nose irritation, as in hayfever. To distinguish it from homeopathy, conventional medicine, in which symptoms are treated with large doses of opposing agents, is known as allopathy.

However, homeopathy cannot be understood as a substance based method, such as drug medicine or herbalism where any healing effect is due to chemical reactions. A simple calculation shows that in the higher potencies not a single molecule of the original substance will be present. But these high potencies are often more effective than low potencies. Therefore, homeopathy can only be understood as working with energy remedies.

The explanation is that every natural substance has an etheric field around its molecular structure. The special shaking action or potentizing used in homeopathy separates the etheric fields from their material substance. The latter is then discarded and the former concentrated. These concentrated etheric fields are much more potent in this way than when they were combined with matter. Similar etheric concentrates can be produced with radionics instruments. The healing effect of such concentrates depends on their vibrational frequency. Because of this the name vibrational medicine has been coined for these methods.

Homeopathic medicines, properly diluted or 'potentized', may be used as prophylactics; they will also combat allergy reactions. A homeopathic medicine's sphere of curative action is found by administering it in high doses to human volunteers of both sexes and recording the emotional, pathological and physiological reactions to the medicine. This test is called a proving, and hundreds of substances have been proved in this way. Consequently, homeopathic remedies are effective over the whole range of mental and physical disorders. The medicines are made from plants, minerals, animals and chemicals. Remedies from diseased animal products are called nosodes. Sometimes a product of a disease is used in potentized form for treating the same disease; this is called isopathy.

Homeopaths may either use the classical approach or practice clinical homeopathy. The classical approach is to use only one dose of one remedy at a time and another dose or remedy only if any effect of the previous remedy has worn off. More commonly clinical homeopathy is used where several remedies are combined and taken several times daily.

Use Your Own Body Fluids

While for general treatment of common symptoms it is more convenient to use established homeopathic remedies, to overcome obstinate individual problems it is frequently more effective to prepare remedies from your own body fluids; this a form of isopathy known as autotherapy.

Urine, for example, contains traces of almost all body chemicals: the normal ones such as enzymes and hormones, as well as foreign and toxic substances, viruses, and so on. A properly diluted sample of your urine will initiate the correction of all unbalanced, unnatural body chemistry, while normal, balanced amounts of body chemicals are harmless. This, then, is an excellent way to improve the balance of your glandular system, which is difficult to influence directly by any other method.

Other body fluids that may be used are a drop of diluted blood to treat blood disorders; diluted pus if there is an infected wound or a boil; sputum for mouth and throat disorders; tears for eye problems; feces for intestinal diseases; ear discharge for ear diseases, and so on. Apart from balancing gland activities and general body chemistry, this method is known to be very effective in stimulating the body's immune system, so essential to combat cancer and other degenerative diseases.

How to Prepare Your Own Remedies

To prepare remedies from your own body fluids, dilute a small sample of the selected fluid 1:100 with pure water. This means 1 part sample and 99 parts water, for instance 1 teaspoonful of sample and 99 teaspoonfuls of water. The water should be purified, that is distilled or filtered.

Shake the mixture vigorously 40 or 50 times in a bottle or jar, accentuating the downward stroke. Alternatively, strike the mixing bottle 40 to 50 times on a resilient surface. This sample is now in the first potency, described as 1 C. Take 1 part of this, dilute it again with 99 parts water, shake, and you have a potency of 2C. This process is repeated until the desired potency is reached.

If dilution proceeds in steps of 1:10 instead of 1:100, the first potency is IX, the second 2X and so on. A potency of 12X corresponds in dilution strength to 6C. However, the number or potencies as well as the overall dilution are important for the quality of a remedy. Start using your own diseased body fluids at a potency of 12C. If this does not bring an improvement after some time, experiment with higher and lower potencies. However, use urine in 6X potency and start foods to which you may be allergic at 4x before increasing in steps to 5X and 6X. Use remedies made of your own body products only for yourself, not for anyone else

To produce your own remedies from herbs, make a 'mother tincture' by soaking a fresh or dried sample in high-grade alcohol - vodka or brandy. After a week or two you may dilute part of the mother tincture as previously described, but for the first 1:10 dilution, use alcohol and water half and half. Using this technique, you have to buy a specific commercial tincture only once. If the bottle is almost empty, dilute its contents with either 9 parts or 99 parts water-alcohol mixture and shake for some time.

You may also try a combination of homeopathy and herbalism. Herbs often seem to be more effective when used as low-potency homeopathic remedies. In this way any undesirable side effects of concentrated herbs are lessened, while specific healing effects, especially cleansing actions, are greatly strengthened. You may experiment by potentizing 1 part of an unheated herbal extract or tincture with 4 or 9 parts water.

If you did use a strong mother tincture of a rather potent herb then start by taking only one or two drops several times daily; keep them in the mouth; increase the dose gradually. If the extract was rather weak or of a harmless herb, then take spoonfuls or even a cupful at a time. You can make a watery extract of fresh or dried herbs in a blender or better by shaking the powdered or pureed herb in water. Alternatively, you may make a tincture by keeping them covered with alcohol or glycerine in a jar for several days.

If the remedy is to be stored for more than a few days a mixture of half vodka or brandy and half water should be used for the last step. This gives the solution an alcohol content of about 30 per cent and will prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. Alternatively, refrigerate the remedy but it may lose its effectiveness due to the strong electromagnetic field.

How to Take Your Remedies

Take homeopathic remedies with a clean mouth; the best time is before meals and at bedtime. The usual dose is three to five drops in a little water (about 2 ounces) sipped slowly over five minutes. Alternatively, you may keep three drops in a little water under the tongue. Generally, take one dose four times daily, for chronic conditions twice daily, for severe or acute conditions every 10 minutes until some improvement is noted, then reduce the frequency. If the patient cannot swallow, moisten the inside of the lips and the tongue with the remedy. Try not to have the remedy come in contact with metal, use a plastic spoon rather than a metal spoon.

If a reaction to the remedy is noted (sometimes as a temporary aggravation of symptoms) this is a sign that the correct remedy was selected, but wait until the reaction has subsided before giving the next dose. Any overdose of homeopathic remedies is harmless. Store homeopathic remedies protected from heat and light as well as away from magnets and strong electromagnetic fields. For best results, you should not change remedies too frequently.

If tablets are used, do not touch them, but shake a tablet into the bottle cap and from there directly into the mouth; keep it under the tongue. Generally, however, it is not recommended to use homeopathic remedies in tablet form because of the possibility of intolerance to lactose or sucrose. This is accentuated by keeping the tablets in the mouth, which provokes stronger allergic reactions than swallowing them, and swallowing is not desirable for homeopathic remedies.

Which Potency to Use

The most commonly used potencies are 6X, 12X, 12C, 30C, 200C, l000C (M), l00M (CM), 500M (DM) and 1000M (MM). Sometimes the letter C is omitted, and '30' and '200' are used instead of '30C' and '200C'. In Europe, 'D' is used instead of 'X'.

After selecting the correct remedy according to your symptoms, it is important to choose the correct potency as well. A general rule is that the lower potencies affect mainly physical symptoms while the high potencies work at the mental and emotional energy levels. The high-potency remedies may be used only once a day or once a week or after any reaction has subsided.

For a longstanding problem, you may start using a low-potency remedy, say, 12X; after a week or two you use 30C, then 200C and afterwards M at spaced-out intervals. If you wish to use less different potencies, try 12 X and 30C. You may also be able to find the correct potency by using muscle testing or a pendulum. Draw a half-circle on which the various potencies are marked and see to which one the pendulum points. The M to MM potencies have been used to remove heavy metals from the body either after an acute poisoning or from chronic exposure, as in the case of chronic mercury poisoning from teeth filled with amalgam.

In addition to low-potency remedies from allergenic foods, which you can produce yourself, you may also buy M to MM remedies of foods to which you are allergic. If you have had much X-ray treatment, buy and use X-ray remedy; if sensitive to electricity, fluorescent lighting or house dust, use the corresponding commercial remedy. However, you may also make these remedies yourself by exposing pure water to strong electromagnetic fields or prolonged fluorescent lighting or potentize the content of the vacuum cleaner. There are commercial remedies for various cancers (for example, bowel, lung, stomach), for bacilli and other infectious agents. There are also extracts of glands, such as adrenals and thymus, which may be used to normalize glandular functions.

Finally, there are combinations of remedies available for the treatment of a wide range of diseases and common complaints. If someone has been bitten by a poisonous snake, spider or other creature, try to obtain some of the poison by crushing the head of the insect in water or by sucking some of the poison out of the wound, or simply use some blood from the wound. Make and use 30C potency. A healing center might establish a collection of potentized remedies of the common poisonous creatures of the area.

Detailed descriptions of homeopathic remedies and their range of action can be found in a homeopathic Materia Medica; most commonly used is the Materia Medica with Repertory by W. Boericke.

The Home-Kit Remedies

The following is a list of 15 basic remedies for home use and as a travel kit.

ACONITE 30C: Controls feverish symptoms that come on suddenly. Any acute condition in the early stages. Aconite is indicated when the patient is frightened and/or worse after dark.

BELLADONNA 30C:Covers feverish conditions that are more violent than those treated by aconite: red, dry, hot painful head and throat symptoms. Also indicated for angry outbursts, and for patients whose condition is aggravated by light, noise or jarring.

CHAMOMILLA 30C: For children during teething or in cases when the patient is irritable. Suitable for stomach upsets. Indicated for children who improve on being carried.

A. G. E. 30C (ARS. IOD., GELSEMIUM, EUPATOR): A combination remedy for colds and influenza. Contains a mineral remedy and two herbal preparations to cover all stages of a cold from early onset to fully developed influenza and lingering final stages that will not clear away. One dose fortnightly will reduce the incidence of simple colds and influenza. This combination remedy is also useful for apprehensive fearful states. Use also for stomach and bowels upset as well as aching in the bones and sick headaches that are better after sweating.

ARNICA 30C: This is the remedy for accidents and shock. It reduces the effects of injury, fatigue and shock both mental and physical. Indicated for bruising, broken bones and blood blisters, also for stroke and heart attack, and in cases when the patient fears being approached or touched.

NUX VOMICA 3OC:For stomach upsets caused by overeating or indulgence in rich foods, and for the effects of too much alcoholic drink or tobacco or drugs. Indicated for irritability and bad temper and for sleeplessness when the mind is crowded with thoughts. Useful in cases when the patient is easily chilled and cannot be uncovered. Also for stuffy head colds extending to throat or chest, and sour eructation, sweat, vomit and bowel movements.

HYPERICUM 30C: For injuries to nerves, and any injury that is more painful than would be expected. Blows to the head and coccyx, crushed fingers and toes, injuries to lips, ears, genitals. Intolerable violent shooting pains along nerves. Lingering pains after injury, operation.

IGNATIA 30C:A herbal stress reliever for the effects of bereavement, grief, tension, worry and fright. Suitable for hypochondria, also for real illness when the patient is excessively worried about the condition. Promotes sleep when the patient is suffering from sadness or worry.

LEDUM 30C: Used for puncture wounds, cuts and stings of insects. Follows arnica for bad bruising, especially around the eye. Think of ledum for pain of fractures and joints. Anti-tetanus.

PULSATILLA 30C: For the effects of rich foods, earache from water in the ear, and measles. Useful for the patient who is changeable and weepy, whose pains shift, or who needs open air when the heat of the room or a car is unbearable. Indicated for many children's illnesses when aconite has given limited relief, also for menstrual problems.

RHUS TOX 30C: For simple rheumatism, and for strains, sprains and the effects of overexertion. Useful when the patient has been exposed to cold, wet conditions, also when restless and pains are better if the affected part is kept in motion. Suitable for influenza not covered by A.G.E.

RUTA GRAV 30C:This herb (rue) is the best remedy for twisted ankles and sprained wrists. It is excellent for blows to the muscles and for injuries to the bones, also accidents when the bone sheath is damaged. Brings relief from eyestrain, neuralgia, burning eyes, dim vision, runny eyes.

URTICA URENS 30C: For burns, rashes, stings and allergies, and any condition when burning, stinging pains persist. Use for scalds and burns internally with hypercal* externally. Use urtica for bladder complaints, bedwetting and hives, also for swollen, painful breasts and genitals.

HYPERICUM/CALENDULA * MOTHER TINCTURE (HYPERCAL*): An antiseptic, use five drops in a cupful of tepid water for all external wounds, cuts and eruptions. This mixture may be used to rinse out the mouth after extraction of teeth. Apply to burns and press a pad soaked in this mixture to injuries requiring bandaging. Use one drop in an eyebath of water for eye irritation.

Cell Salts

In the late nineteenth century Dr W. H. Schuessler originated a therapeutic system he called biochemic medicine, based on 12 essential cell salts or tissue salts; these are homeopathic preparations of mineral salts usually present in the body. They are commonly used as 6X tablets. The main drawback of the tablets is that they are based on lactose to which many individuals are allergic or react weak with muscle testing. This weakening factor is accentuated by the common practice of keeping the tablets in the mouth until dissolved.

However, for those who should best avoid lactose the benefits of cell salts may be obtained by using cell salts as normal homeopathic tinctures. The only disadvantage is that these are not as readily available as the tablets and are stocked by fewer retailers.

Flower remedies represent a combination of herbalism and homeopathy. Their main therapeutic effects are on the emotional level. Best known are the Bach flower remedies, originated by Dr Edward Bach, an English physician. In recent times, Australian wildflower remedies and Californian flower essences have also become available. These are sold mainly in health food shops and by various practitioners.

Flower remedies are best used together with appropriate affirmations. In clinical situations it is recommended to use a standard questionnaire for emotional to allow a more speedy and accurate selection of the appropriate remedies. This information may then also be used for other emotion-directed therapies. Of special significance is the Bach Rescue Remedy, which should be part of every first aid kit. Individual flower remedies may be combined for treatment according to symptoms. In selecting Bach flower remedies, it is recommended to combine no more than six different remedies. However, the Composite Rescue Remedy may be counted as a single remedy.

The usual dosage is two to four drops of the composite preparation in a teaspoonful of water at least four times daily, before meals and especially first and last thing daily. Hold this in the mouth and under the tongue for some time. Store remedies in a cool place.

In some cases, flower remedies may be taken for long periods for the treatment of chronic illnesses, while those for acute (short-term) problems are used only when the problem is noticed. These short-term remedies may be changed frequently according to changing moods.

Following is a quick-reference guide for the selection of Bach flower remedies.

While the flower remedies are usually selected according to the problems you wish to overcome, you may also look at what you wish to achieve, how you wish to become. For this, you may use the opposite to the descriptions given for the various remedies. The keywords for the positive attributeswe wish to acquire (with the negative aspects we wish to overcome in parentheses) for some of the remedies are as follows.